Start Praying For God’s Favor

One moment of God’s favor will do more for you than a lifetime of striving. Through the favor of God, Ruth went from being a penniless widow to becoming the wife of Boaz, a wealthy man. It’s what made Esther a queen and positioned her to save the Jewish nation. As you begin to walk in God’s favor, doors of opportunity open, the right people are drawn to you, and you discover ideas, strategies, and resources in the most unexpected places. Does that mean you won’t experience opposition? No; when you’re doing anything worthwhile you must expect flak from those who aren’t privy to God’s plan for your life. It goes with the turf. But the Bible says even “the king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases” (Proverbs 21:1 NLT). Like changing the direction of a moving stream, God can change people’s hearts and give you favor with those who might otherwise reject or overlook you.

Solomon writes, “When God approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your hand” (Proverbs 16:7 TM). So when people oppose or disagree with you, just concentrate on pleasing God and let Him deal with the fallout. Remember, God takes up where you leave off. He can give you blessings that, humanly speaking, you don’t deserve and qualify for. Just as the Holy Spirit enabled Jesus to fulfill His life’s mission, He will equip and enable you to fulfill His plan for your life (See Luke 4:18-19). So stop trying so hard to make things happen on your own terms, and start praying for God’s favor. He has promised it to you and He keeps His promises.